Cotton-press



(No Model.)

a N. 'STEDMAN.

Cotton Pr ess.

- No. 235,390. Patented D ec.14,188C.

N-PETEBS. FHOTO-UTHOGGAFHER. WASHINGTON. I). C,

UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN STEDMAN, OF AURORA, INDIANA.

COTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,390, dated December 14, 1880.

Application filed October 21, 1880. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATHAN STEDMAN, of Aurora, in the county of Dearborn and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton -Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement upon that class of presses for baling cotton, hay, and similar substances which employs a screw and nut to operate a reciprocating follower or platen within a box, the cotton or other substance being thrown loosely into the box at the top, the top' closed and battened, and the platen forced upward to reduce the mass to a bale of the required size.

This invention consists in a novel construction and combination of parts for producing an efficient press, which will be fully hereinafter described andc claimed. The improvements are clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, illustrating myinvention,in' which- Figure 1 represents the front elevation of a cotton-press containingmyimprovement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan of the base-frame and driving-gear. Fig. 4 is a detached elevation of the master bevel-wheel, driving-pinion, and pulleys. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the friction-pulleys and driving-pulley. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the clutch, actuating-pulley, and bevel-pinion 5 and Fig. 7 is a detached view of the top of the cottonbox. a Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts. r

A is the base-frame, consisting of two long longitudinal timbers, a a, and two shorter parallel timbers, a a, united by cross-timbers a B is an upright box, secured to the baseframe A by tie-bolts b b. O is the platen; D, the pressure-screw; E, the master bevel-wheel; F F, the actuating-pulleys; G G, the bevelpinions; H, the stand supporting the master bevel-wheel E h h, the inner, and h h the outer, bearings of the actuating-shafts ff. I is the friction-wheel which elevates the platen C, and J is the friction wheel which depresses the platen, made larger in diameter than the wheel I, to produce a quick return. i K is the driving-wheel, receiving the power from the belt L. M isa cast-iron stand or plate, bolted to the timbers a a of the frameA in such a manner that it may be adjusted laterally to vary the separation-of the frictionwheels I and J and the pulleys F and F, respectively. m m are tempering-screws for adjusting the stand M in position upon the base A. N is the swivel-head, pivoted to the stand or plate M at n, and provided with bearin gs n a, for the reception of the driving-shaft 0-. Pisa hand-lever mounted upon one of the timbers a of the frame A, and connected to the swivel-head N by means of. the link 9.

The pressure of the hand-lever toward the press engages the friction-wheel I and pulley F and elevates the platen O, and the pressure of the hand-lever P in an opposite direction engages the friction-wheel J and pulley F and produces a converse motion of the bevel-wheel E and platen (3.

Upon the hubs of each of the pulleys Fand F are cast heavy clutches f Fig. 6, with two or more equidistant jaws, which match corresponding jaws in the hubs of the bevel-pinions G and G, the clutch on the pulley For F being united to the corresponding clutch on the pinions G or G by means of bolts 9, as shown in Fig. 6.

The friction-wheels I and J may be of any suitable material.

B B, Figs. 1, 2, and 7, are the two parts or doors of the press-head, against which the cotton is upwardly pressed by the platen G. The

.two doors or parts of the press-head are hinged at their outer ends to the compressing-box B, and close inwardly and centrally, as shown by dotted arcs in Fig. 7.

B B are heavy stirrups passed around the longitudinal timbers of the top frame of the box, and projected upwardly far enough to clear the battens b b on the doors of the press head and receive the wedges B B Upon removing the wedges B B the two hinged parts or doors of the press-head B B are turned back on their hinges, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby exposing the entire area of the box B for the reception of loose cotton.

The box being opened and the platen Orun down, cotton is filled in until the two hinged parts B B of the press-head will just close under pressure from without, when the platen 0 is then forced up and the bale formed in the usual manner.

The bevel-wheel E has a hub, e, or internally-th readed sleeve, which engages the screw D, and this recess or hub may be made with or in a separate piece from the said wheel.

I am aware that the use of a screw and nut driven by a sweep worked by man or horse power for the operation of a platen in the compressing-box ot' a hay or cotton press is not new, and that the pulleys F F and frictionwheels I and J have been used before to produce an alternatingmotion; but these I do not claim, broadly.

Having described my invention, what Iclaim 1s 1. The combination of the bevel-wheel E, having an internally-threaded sleeve formed in it or secured to it, screw 1), hevel-pinions (l G, pulleys F F, shaft 0, and stand II with the platen C and box B of a cotton-press, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the friction-wheels I and J, shaft 0, swivel-head N, and adjustable table M with the base-frame Aof a cotton-press, 2 5 subs: nn tial ly as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the bevel-wheel E in a hnling-press, of the pulley-wheels F I". each provided with a clutch, the piuions G G, adapted to engage the bevel-wheel. the 30 shaft 0, and the friction-wheels 1 J, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to the toregoing specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHAN STEDMAN.

Witnesses:

COLLIN FORD, Jr., C. \V. \VITIIENBURY. 

